'Meta what the fuck?! ' was the first —or last, — thing screamed. I don't know, I wasn't sure since my consciousness warped so suddenly!
But by the time I came... everything was normal.
[Everything is under control. I have only switched places with your consciousness to generate a positive effect, with the skill. You will receive control promptly.] Meta's emotionless voice rang in my head, no, echoed from all over.
...
[{???} skill (lvl???) Is being used]
...
It used that damned skill again! Watching the blue notification screen hovered before me, I felt the urge to explore a variety of curses on the damned system.
I don't like it, the idea that Meta could casually manipulate my skills without even my confirmation. More so that it could even take control of my body whenever it wanted.
I couldn't feel safe with this {???} skill around, something had to be done, I swore inwardly to myself.
'Wait. It's different from last time. ' I spread my awareness and realized.
The skill was activated, and indeed, I didn't feel control of my body, but I still felt the direct connection to my physical body.
It was unlike before when I was experiencing a full out of body experience.
In simpler terms, basically, I could see from my eyes and still share my senses with my physical body, but I had no driect control over its actions.
It was uncomfortably like staring through a gap in a prison gate.
[The skill wasn't entirely activated to reach this effect], Meta said then continued.
[In a much truer sense than before, we truly have switched places this time around.]
'...you mean I've just become a voice in 'my' head?' I thought, incredulous.
[How rude. I am not just a voice in your head.]
Meta's response was swift.
'What? Your words, not mine. '
I grinned from the satisfaction, imagining my self wearing a smug smile.
So this is how Meta feels like alone with my thoughts inside my head, huh.
As I pondered Meta's words, I realized that being trapped in my own head was terrifying... and lonely.
Aside from the senses I barely felt through the connection with my physical body, everything else was dark and empty.
Hehe. Story of my life.
[It would be best if we do not delay any longer], Meta interrupted my hollow thoughts.
[I will begin channeling the Aura inside your body by activating your Core. Feel closely, and remember the sensation of Aether flowing through your limbs and surroundings.]
Hearing Meta's words and warnings, all traces of leisure and distraction were erased from my consciousness. I focused my entire awareness on the phenomenon Meta would cause inside my body.
A strange energy surged from the depths of my body, like a transient rush. It was a similar feeling to the last time I first sensed my Aura just the previous day.
Except this time around the , the energy wasn't just a steady flow, but a powerful surge or spike. I felt my body rise with inexplicable power and warmth that spread from underneath my navel, up through my midsection, then circle around my heart before flowing down my limbs.
When the strange energy washed against my heart, I would have gasped if I had a actual control of my throat. The feeling and heat was enough to make my heart skip a beat, and when it continued, I felt the warm spreading surge of energy douse my back.
It was an electric feeling and sensation. It was addicting and euphoric. Something inexplicable yet terrifying.
If I had a lip, I would find myself with a strained smile and my heart would be pumping with dark excitement.
But those were only the changes my body experienced on the inside.
Beyond what was within my body, I felt a strange vague connection click with something external. It was like resonating with the world.
Having Meta open my eyes, I saw the air shimmer like sun dust around me. It felt like looking at the rays of the sun through a window, sparkling, yet unclear.
After feeling the strange connection click, I instinctively knew what it was.
I could sense the Aether in the air.
All of a sudden, I heard Meta's illusionary voice.
[It appears you posses more talent than you give yourself credit for.]
'What? ' I thought at her odd statement.
[It has only been a couple of minutes, but your body has already grasped the concept of manipulating Aura and sensing Aether, as if muscle memory.]
'Wait, what? Didn't you say I'd have to memorize this euphoric — I mean, feeling first before I can recreate it? ' I was confused, and said.
[Affirmative. But your body has automatically done that. In simple terms, it has absorbed my teachings like sponge in water. You have no need to memorize the sensation, you have already Mastered Aura control]
'Eh? For real? Just like that?'
Well that was anticlimactic.
Impossible, could it be I was more amazing than I thought?!
Then all of a sudden, Meta abruptly said.
[Control of your body will return back to you]
...
[Skill {???} lvl??? Has been deactivated]
...
A notification signaling the cancellation of try Skill appeared before me, and I promptly felt my consciousness rapidly 'descend' back into my body.
In an instant, control of my physical body had returned to me, and I made sure by closing and clenching my fist.
'I will never get used to that skill. ' I complained at Meta, but was ignored.
I had mastered Aura control already, huh.
[Yes. You have yet too fully master Aura, as an aspect of Aether itself, but have instead, exceptional talent and sensitivity for it. It means, you have a much brighter future Ranking up and perfecting Aura techniques to grow stronger.]
"I see. So that's how it is." I clenched my fist one more time, and a ghostly grey misty Aura shrouded my balled up fingers.
Instantly I was ecstatic.
This is amazing, I really can use Aura easily.
That was much easier than I thought. A bit anticlimactic too.
I thought it would take a considerable amount of time, maybe a few days at best to achieve a decent amount of basic control of my Aura.
Well, well, would you look at that? Is that talent I see? I mused inwardly, smirking stupidly at myself.
It was to be expected that I felt childishly happy for this. I grew up on Earth without a single valuable talent, and because of that I was mostly at the bottom of the food chain for most of my pitiful life.
I hated that fighting was all I was ever good at.
[Just to be clear, it is your body that mastered Aura control, not you.]
"...you just had to take that one away from me, didn't you?"
But it made sense. I didn't have talent back in Earth, why would it be suddenly different in another world only after reincarnating? It was mostly like just as Meta said, my new body, Victor Bright, may have been the one with the talent, not me.
But I was Victor Bright at the moment. And the Aura control was mine.
Simplifying my thoughts like that, I had no regrets or uncertain will.
"Fuuu..." I exhaled a deep breath.
'Somehow, this entire thing was kind of stressful. I'm suddenly exhausted now that it's over. '
[That is because you have exhausted half of your meager Aura reserves just to learn control.] As Meta snorted like so, my status screen suddenly appeared before me.
..
[Name: Victor Bright
Level: 4
Rank: Beta
Hp: ???
________
________
Strength:- ???
Speed:- ???
Agility:- ???
Constitution:- ???
Luck:- ???
Aura:- 5/8
Charm:- ???
______
______
{Inspect}
Level 1
Rank-: Rare
...
{???}
Level???
Rank-:???
...
____
____
Too little information is known
____
___]
...
Seeing my Aura points down to half by a whole five, I felt my heart wince and pinch.
'And did you really have to say meager?' i could almost feel the tears.
'That's the next problem too. '
[Increasing your Mana capacity can be automatically done after every Rank up]
'What? You're telling me I'll have only 8 points for Aura till I've broken pass Beta rank?! '
That was insane! And unfair!
[I didn't say such a thing], Meta quickly cut me off.
'Eh? But you just said my Aura capacity will increase after every Runk up. ' I said, confused. Then Meta explained in monotone.
[Every Rank from Beta to Quadra have a set fixed capacity which expands and increases by Rank. Your Aura pool, however can be actively increased by you yourself.]
I frowned slightly.
'Wait, so you're saying, there's a limit to how much Aura my body is allowed to hold each Rank? And that I can keep increasing my Aura until it reaches that set capacity? '
[Affirmative.]
...why does almost everything thing in this work have to be unnecessarily exaggerated.
Heaving a deep sigh, I raised my head and said, massaging my brows to relieve tension.
'How can I increase the amount of Aura I currently have? '
[There are two ways to accomplish this.] Meta said.
Driving away part of the exhaustion I felt, I nodded my head mildly and said simply.
"I'm listening."
[One is by actively Leveling up. Your Aura reserves can passively increase if you can consistently level up. But this method takes too long, and it is not certain that every level up would cause an increase in your Aura. For example, you might have to Level up twenty times to acquire a single point increase in your Aura reserves.]
I winced
'T-twenty level ups for just a single point increase? '
I knew how hard it was to level up a single time.
And worse is that, it isn't even certain I would get that one point increase after all!
I effectively concluded that this method wasn't worth it.
'And what's the other method? '
[The other is to simply actively increase your Aura, either by absorbing the essence of Monsters or Beasts, or cultivating the Aether in the atmosphere, or by pushing your Aura to the limits.]
"...I see." Meta had already explained this before, so it wasn't hard to understand.
The essence of beasts and monsters will increase the Aura, and energy in my body. In the same manner, by absorbing Aether into my core actively would serve.
[Those two process are the most direct forms of actively increasing your reserves, but just as the first method, it takes a certain amount of time to see obvious progress. Which is why I would rather suggest the third process, to push your Aura to its limits and forcefully increase it.]
I asked Meta to elaborate, and it went on a detailed lecture that I only half-listened to. Basically, the Aura core is like a muscle: work it out, and it gets swole.
'So, the secret is just to keep using Aura?'
[Simplistic, but yes.]
Just keep using Aura, silently i thought to myself and cast my gaze on the interface before me. I glanced at my level, then drew my gaze to my rank, before finally lingering on my Aura points.
A small knowing smile crawled on my lips.
"I can work with that "